Trolley-wheel guard.



Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

INVENTOR WITNESS WILLIAM L. JAM-ES, OF WEST HOMESTEAD, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROIJLEY-WHEEL GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed April 13', 1915. Serial No. 21,037.

-- Homestead, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Wheel Guards, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to guards for preventing the trolley-wheel frombecoming separated from the trolley-wire.

The object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which shall becheap and simple and which shall prevent the trolley-wheel from jumpingfrom the line-wire at crossings, curves, switches, and other points.

Another object of my invention is to provide a guard of the characterdescribed which may be removed from its guarding position and readilyrestored to such posi tion.

It is also an object of my invention toprevent the trolley-wire fromacting upon the guard in such a manner as to remove the latter from itsguarding position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a side viewof a trolleyhead containing my invention, parts being broken away; Fig.2, an elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1, looking toward theright; and Fig. 3, a top plan view of the upper portion of Fig. 1.

On the drawing, 1 represents the trolleypole carrying the harp '2 at itsupper end.

3 is the trolley-wheel located between the members of the harp andhaving bearingon the pin or axle 4, which extends through the members ofthe harp. The trolley-wheel "3 is :shown bearing on the underside of thetrolley-wire 5 supported by the hanger 6 carried by the cross-support'7.

The mechanism so far described contains no novelty. v

On the pivot-pin 4: at the outer side of the harp members, I pivotallymount the levers 8 having their upper ends 9 turned toward each otherand adapted to meet above the center of the trolley-wheel 3. Theselevers are provided with openings 10 through which the ends of the pivot1 extend, the levers being retained on the said pivot-pin by means ofthe cotter-pins 11 extending through the pivot-pin adjacent to the outerfaces of the levers 8. The inner faces of the levers 8 are curvedslightly where they bear upon the outer faces of the harp to provideroundlng bearings on which the levers may rock to cause the ends 9 toseparate from each other or to engage each other.

12 represents a clamp secured to the trolley-pole below the harp andprovided with rearwardly adjustable arms 13 between which the levers 8below the trolley-wheel are positioned,one of the levers lying againstthe inner face of one of the arms 13 and the other lever 8 lying againstthe inner face ofthe other member 13. The pin 14 extends through thesaid levers 8 and the arms 13, cotter-pins 15 being passed through theends of the pin just beyond the outer faces of the arms 13 to hold thesaid pin in place. A coil-spring 16 surrounds the pin 14 andpressesoutwardly against the inner faces of the levers 8.

with the rearwardly projectingmemb'er 18 which terminates just below thelower ends of the levers 8. The member or rope guide 18 is provided witha guide opening 19 through which the ropes or cables 20 pass. The upperends of these ropes or cables are secured to the lower ends of thelevers 8 which are spread more widely apart than the ropes or cables 20are where they pass through the guide 19.

By pulling down on'the ropes or cables '20 the lower ends of the levers8 will be drawn toward each other, thereby causing the upper ends '9 ofthe levers 8 to 'move away from each other, in order that'the said endsmay not engage the trolley-wire holder 6 or obstruct the passage of thetrolley-wire 5 between the said ends 9. When the lower ends of thelevers 8 have been drawn toward each other the spring 16 is compressedand when the said levers are released, the spring expands and causes theupper ends 9 of the levers to move into contact with "each other. Theropes 2O are brought together below the rope guide 18, where theysupport the loop or eye 21, to the lower end 'of which the rope 22 isattached. The arm '17 has below the guide 18 the downward extension orarm 23 having a hook opening downwardly to receive and hold the looporeye 21 in the manner shown on Fig. 1. I prefer to make this hookcomprise the two fingers 24 and 25 separated to form a notch or slot 26of a size to receive the loop 21. The rear finger 241 is prefer ablyshorter than the rear finger 25, whereby the latter may serve as a stopand a guide for the loop 21, as will now be explained. lVhen the rope 22is pulled down in the process of opening the lever ends 9, the rope 22is drawn forwardly so as to make the lower end of the loop engage thefinger 25, whichacts as a stop for the loop. The rope 22 is slackened alittle allowing the loop to be guided up on the finger 25 and into theslot 26. It is not necessary always to connect the loop to the hook whenthe rope 22 is pulled down, but the loop and hook are very convenientfor holding the lever ends 9 apart, whenever it is desired to have themseparated, as, when the trolley car is running on a straight track orwhenever there is no danger of the trolley wheel jumping off the trolleywire.

The meeting ends 9 of the levers 8 just above the trolley-wire 5'arebeveled upwardly away from said meeting line, thereby forming inclinedguides to draw the trolley-wire away from the said center line andbeneath one or the other of the said ends 9, thereby preventing thetrolley-wire from forcing the said ends 9 apart and per mitting thetrolley-wheel to jump from. the trolley-wire.

It will be seen that as the trolley-wheel rotates along beneath thetrolley-wire the ends 9 will remain in contactabove the trolley-wire andhold the trolley-wheel in contact with the trolley-wire, and that whenthe said ends 9 engage the holder 6 or other suspending device for thetrolley wire the said ends will be forced apart by the said support orsuspending device to allow the trolley-wheel to pass. The spring 16 willimmediately bring the said ends 9 together after they have passed thesaid support or suspending device.

I have shown the wear-blocks 27 secured in the opposing faces of theends 9 of the levers 8, these blocks being secured in place in anydesired manner and being replaceable when worn out. I

I do not desire to be restricted to the details and combinations shownand described but desire to cover such modifications thereof as comefairly within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim- 1. In a device of the class described, a trolley pole, a harpon the upper end thereof, a trolley-wheel mounted in the harp, a pair oflevers mounted on the harp and having their upper ends meeting above thetrolley-wheel, a pair of arms secured to the trolley-pole and havingtheir ends embracing the said levers below the trolley-wheel, anexpansion spring to urge the lower ends of the levers away from eachother, and ropes secured to the said ends of the levers.

2. Ina device of the class described, a trolley pole, a harp on theupper end thereof, a trolley-wheel. mounted in the harp, a pair oflevers mounted on the harp and having their upper ends meeting above thetrolley-wheel, a pair of arms secured to the trolley-pole andhavingtheir ends embracing the said levers below the trolleywheel, anexpansion spring to urge the lower ends of the levers away from eachother, ropes secured to the said ends of the levers, and a second armmovable with the trolley-pole and having a guide for the ropes, theguides being arranged between the levers.

3. In a device of the class described, a trolley-pole, a harp, atrolley-wheel mounted in the harp, a pair of levers having their upperends meeting above the trolley-wheel, means for yieldingly holding thesaid ends of the levers in engagement, ropes attached to the lower endsof the levers, a hook carried by the pole, a rope for pulling the said 7two ropes downwardly to separate the upper ends of the levers, and meanscarried by the rope and. adapted to engage with the hook and prevent theupward movement of the ropes.

4- In a device of the class described, a trolley-pole, a harp, atrolley-wheel mounted in the harp, a pair of levers having their upperends meeting above the trolley-wheel, means for yieldingly holding thesaid ends of the levers in engagement, ropes attached to the lower endsof the levers, a hook carried by the pole, a rope for pulling the saidtwo ropes downwardly to separate the up per ends of the levers, an armextending downwardly from the pole and having a hook and a rope-guidethereon, and means carried by the rope and adapted to=engage with thehook and prevent the upward movement of the ropes. V

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa, this 8th day of April, 1915.

WILLIAM L. JAMES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

